Parishes in Louisiana with the most pre-war homes
Pre-war homes—those built before 1939—are architectural gems. They are sturdy, charming, and often what people are referring to when they look at the prevalent colorless, linear designs of today and lament "they just don't make them like they used to."
In some ways, that's a good thing. Pre-war homes often contained materials we know to be hazardous today, like asbestos and lead. But their signature characteristics, including hardwood floors, nickel accents, ornate crown molding, and high ceilings, are among the features many people look for in a dream home.
Preserving the history of these properties, many of which you'll find on the National Register of Historic Places, is labor that often extends beyond the scope of an individual homeowner. Depending on where these homes are located, special permission by local historic commissions may be required before renovations can be done in an effort to preserve their historic architectural integrity.
Stacker compiled a list of parishes in Louisiana with the most pre-war homes using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Parishes are ranked by the highest percent of homes that were built before 1939 based on 2020 5-year estimates.
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in Louisiana
#30. Richland Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 4.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 21.3%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 9,026
#29. De Soto Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 4.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 26.2%
- Median year built: 1987
- Total homes: 13,181
#28. Evangeline Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 4.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.2%
- Median year built: 1979
- Total homes: 15,088
#27. St. Helena Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.0%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.8%
- Median year built: 1986
- Total homes: 5,372
#26. Terrebonne Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 23.7%
- Median year built: 1981
- Total homes: 45,546
You may also like: Fastest growing cities in Louisiana
#25. Assumption Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.2%
- Homes built since 2000: 16.0%
- Median year built: 1981
- Total homes: 10,894
#24. Grant Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 27.3%
- Median year built: 1988
- Total homes: 9,430
#23. St. James Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 25.8%
- Median year built: 1980
- Total homes: 8,935
#22. Natchitoches Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.0%
- Median year built: 1985
- Total homes: 19,286
#21. Caddo Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 14.8%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 113,427
You may also like: Fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana
#20. LaSalle Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.7%
- Homes built since 2000: 18.2%
- Median year built: 1979
- Total homes: 6,758
#19. East Feliciana Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 5.7%
- Homes built since 2000: 27.5%
- Median year built: 1987
- Total homes: 8,556
#18. St. Mary Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.0%
- Homes built since 2000: 14.6%
- Median year built: 1976
- Total homes: 23,557
#17. Avoyelles Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 17.1%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 18,624
#16. Jefferson Davis Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.8%
- Median year built: 1977
- Total homes: 14,045
You may also like: Most popular girl names in the 70s in Louisiana
#15. Acadia Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.3%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.8%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 26,516
#14. Pointe Coupee Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.4%
- Homes built since 2000: 23.1%
- Median year built: 1983
- Total homes: 11,649
#13. Caldwell Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.5%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.8%
- Median year built: 1984
- Total homes: 5,251
#12. West Feliciana Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.5%
- Homes built since 2000: 25.4%
- Median year built: 1988
- Total homes: 5,490
#11. Washington Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.2%
- Median year built: 1980
- Total homes: 21,762
You may also like: Best colleges in Louisiana
#10. Franklin Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.2%
- Median year built: 1977
- Total homes: 9,371
#9. East Carroll Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 14.3%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 2,821
#8. Allen Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 19.7%
- Median year built: 1977
- Total homes: 9,984
#7. West Baton Rouge Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 6.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 33.4%
- Median year built: 1988
- Total homes: 11,319
#6. Iberia Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 7.6%
- Homes built since 2000: 22.6%
- Median year built: 1980
- Total homes: 30,625
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Louisiana
#5. Bienville Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 7.8%
- Homes built since 2000: 13.0%
- Median year built: 1978
- Total homes: 7,922
#4. Jackson Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 7.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 13.6%
- Median year built: 1975
- Total homes: 7,919
#3. Vermilion Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 9.5%
- Homes built since 2000: 29.7%
- Median year built: 1982
- Total homes: 26,769
#2. Iberville Parish
- Homes built before 1939: 10.9%
- Homes built since 2000: 20.1%
- Median year built: 1981
- Total homes: 13,533
#1. New Orleans
- Homes built before 1939: 34.1%
- Homes built since 2000: 10.3%
- Median year built: 1957
- Total homes: 192,012
You may also like: Highest-rated football recruits from Louisiana over the last 20 years
